Post-driving machine.



P'ATENTED 001?. 29.1907.

W. W. TURNER. POST DRIVING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED APB" 25,1907- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' m Wrumer WILLIAM W. TURNER, OF SUNLIGHT, MISSOURI.

POST-DRIVING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed April 25. 1907- Serial No. 870,296

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sunlight, in the county of Washington and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Driving Machines, of which the following is a specification reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for driving fence posts and the like, and it consists in the novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of machines of this character and thereby render the same more convenient and durable and less expensive.

The above and other objects are accomplished in the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the machine, showing it in use for driving fence posts; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the trip showing it in its open posi tion, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same showing it in its closed position.

My improved post driver comprises a portable base 1 preferably in the form of a sled and having upon its center an upright frame 2 in which the hammer 3 is slidably mounted. The sled or base 1 as here shown is composed of two comparatively long inner or main runners 4 and two comparatively short outer or supplemental runners 5. All of these runners have their ends suitably curved or beveled and they may have their bottom edges covered with metal wear plates or strips if de sired. The runners 4 are connected together at the front end of the machine by a cross bar 6 and also by a long cross bar 7, the ends of which are extended to also connect the runners 5. The latter are further connected to the runners 4 by short cross bars 8 and all four of the runners are further connected by the upright frame 2. This frame consists of two upright guide posts 9 connected at their upper ends by a cross bar 9 and having their lower ends set into the runners 4 and connected by a cross beam 10 engaged with the front faces of the posts 9 and with the upper faces of the runners. The posts 9 are further connected by a horizontal cross beam 11 arranged above the beam 10 and supported by uprights 12 projecting from the latter. This beam 11 is adapted to serve as a rest or support for the hammer when in its lowered position and hence to limit its downward movement; and it also, in connection with the beam 10, serves as a rest for a stop to engage the fence post as hereinafter described. The uprights 12 may be strengthened by inclined braces 13 and the uprights or posts 9 may be strengthened and supported upon their sides by inclined braces 14 and upon their front and rear by similar braces 15.

The hammer 3, I preferably construct of wood and it is in the form of a rectangular block adapted to slide b tween the guide posts 9. It is guided in its sliding movement between said posts by vertical cleats o1 strips 17 arranged upon the opposite sides of the hammer and adapted to slidably engage the opposite faces of the guide posts 9. Upon the top of the hammer is a loop or eye 18 for the reception of a trip 19 attached to one end of a hoisting cable 20 which passes over a pulley or sheave 21 suspended from the cross bar 9 and also around a pulley or sheave 22 mounted upon the front cross bar 6 between the runners 4. Upon this lower end of the cable is an eye 23 to which may be attached a draft team or animal for hoisting the hammer.

The trip device 19, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, consists of a main section or body 24, a pivoted hook or latch member 25 and a sliding keeper member 26. The section or member 24 has at its lower end an eye 27 to which the hook 25 is loosely connected or pivoted and at its upper end a similar loop or eye 28 to which the cable 20 is connected. These eyes 2'7, 28 are formed by suitably bending portions of a metal red, the remaining portions of which form side bars 29 for the main section or member 24. These side bars 29 are connected by a cross bar 30 which forms a stop and between their upper ends is journaled a guide pulley 31 for a trip rope 32. This trip rope has one of its ends connected to the slidable keeper member 26 which is also formed from a rod bent to provide an eye at its top for the reception of the rope 32, two arms which pro ject upon opposite sides of the stop 30 and a loop 33 which connects the lower ends of'said arms and sur rounds the sides 29 of the main section of the trip. By arranging the keeper 26 upon the main section as above described, the stop 30-will allow it to have a limited sliding movement so that its ring or loop 33 may be engaged with and disengaged from the free end 25 of the hook 25. In using the trip the hook 25 is inserted in the eye 18 on the weight and the end 25 of the hook is then swung to a vertical position and the loop 33 is then lowered over said end 25 to retain the hook in such position, as shown in Fig. 5. When it is desired to release the hammer the cable 32 is pulled to disengage the loop 33 from the end 25 of the hook which latter then swings to its position shown in Fig. 4 to release the hammer.

In order to support the post which is to be driven by the machine in an upright position beneath the hammer, I provide an adjustable holding member 34 and removably mount it upon the rear side of the upright guide posts 9. This post holder 34 consists of upper and lower beams 35, 36 connected by uprights 37 which are strengthened by inclined braces, as shown. The holder is removable and adapted to be slid into its transverse position beneath the hammer and against the posts 9. Its lower beam 36 rests upon cross bars 38 43 upon ahorizontally disposed and longitudinally pro-.

jecting bar 44 projecting from one end of the bar 1]. and one of the inclined braces 14. The opposite end of the bar 35 is provided with two or more keeper eyes 45 adapted to receive a hook 46 which is pivoted upon the adjacent end of the bar 11. From the foregoing it will be seen that when the look 46 is disengaged from one of the keeper eyes 45, the post holder 34 may be slid transversely out of the upright frame to permit a fence post to be placed in position beneath the hammer and .by reason of the adjustable connections just described may be adjusted toward and from the cross bars 10, 11 for the reception of a post of any size.

Any other suitable adjustable and detachable fastening may be substituted for the hook and eye connection above described which holds the post holding frame or member against. the adjustable stops 39, 42.

For the purpose of holding the hammer elevated while a post is being positioned beneath it, I pivot upon one of the braces 14 a lever 47, the short upper end of which is adapted to be swung inwardly against the hammer and beneath one of its guide cleats 7 and the curved lower end of which forms a handle and also a counter balancing weight which when the lever is free tends to hold its upper end in a retracted position.

To the front cross bar 6 is attached a cable or the like 48 carrying an eye or loop for attachment to a draft animal when it is desired to move the machine from place to place. At the rear end of the machine is provided a cable or chain 49 adapted to be passed around the post last driven by the machine or around any other suitable support for the purpose of holding the machine stationary and preventing it from tilting when its hammer is being hoisted and also for the purpose of gaging the distance between the posts. This cable 49 is of any suitable length and has one of its ends attached to one of the runners 4 and its other end provided with a hook to engage an eye upon the other of said runners.

111 using the machine for driving fence posts the cable 49 is passed around the post last driven as just mentioned, the team or animal is attached to the cable 48 and the machine drawn forward until the cable 49 is taut whereupon the machine will be in position to drive the nekt post at a predetermined distance from the other. The team is then attached to the hoisting cable and the trip upon the latter engaged with the hammer so that said hammer may be elevated sufliciently to permit the lever 47 to be swung under the same. When the hammer is thus supported by the lever and the post holder 34 is out of the frame 2, a post may be positioned beneath the hammer and said holder 34 may be then slid into position and secured. The hammer may be then hoisted by the team and when it is at a suitable height may be released by pulling upon the trip rope 32. The latter is controlled by the man at the rear of the machine who places the posts in position, and the driver of the team or animal has charge of the lever 47 at the front of the machine.

Having thus described my invention What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising a base, uprights projecting therefrom, a hammer slidable be tween said uprights, adjustably mounted stops, a post holder arranged upon one side of said uprights and engaged with said stops and an adjustable and detachable fastening means for retaining said holder in engagement with said stops.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a base, uprights projecting therefrom, a hammer slidable between said uprights, adjustably mounted stops, :1. post holder arranged upon one side of said uprights and engagcd with said stops, and an adjustable hook and eye connection between said cross bar and said holder.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a base having runners, uprights projecting therefrom, a hammer slidable between said uprights, a cross bar connecting said uprights upon one side, adjustable stops arranged upon the other side of said uprights and a post holding member slidably engaged with said stops.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a base having runners, uprights projecting therefrom, a hammer slidable between said uprights, a cross bar'conmeeting said uprights upon one side, slidably and adjust ably mounted guide and stop blocks arranged upon the opposite side of said uprights, a transversely slidable post holding frame engaged with said blocks and an adjustable hook and eye connection for retaining said frame against movement.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a base having runners, uprights projecting therefrom, a hammer slidable between said uprights, a cross bar connecting said uprights upon one side, slidably and adjust ably mounted guide and stop blocks arranged on the opposite side of said uprights, a transversely slidable post holding frame engaged with said blocks and an adjustable connection for retaining said frame against movement.

6. A trip device for a hoisting machine comprising a main section, a hook pivoted thereon, and a keeper having limited sliding movement upon said main section and a loop surrounding the same and adapted to engage said hook.

7. A trip device for a hoisting machine comprising a main section having spaced side bars, a stop connecting said side bars and a guide above said stop, a hook pivoted at the lower end of said main section, a keeper slidable upon said main section and adapted to engage said stop, said keeper having at its lower end a loop to receive said hook and a flexible element attached to said keeper and engaged with said guide.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. TURNER.

Witnesses WILLIAM C. JOHNSON, WILLIAM C. ION. 

